Air China begins nonstop flight to Washington Dulles International Airport

Air China is now offering nonstop service between Beijing and Washington Dulles International Airport. The move is expected to bring $14 million in annual visitor spending to the Washington, D.C., area.

There will be four nonstop flights per week between Beijing and Dulles, Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s office said in a news release.

Last year, Virginia had more than 22,000 visitors from China, a 69 percent increase over the previous year. The new route is expected to bring 16,000 more tourists and business travelers to the capital region per year.

Air China serves 185 destinations with hubs in Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu. In 2012, Air China served 72 million passengers. The company was founded in 1988.